It's (not) all about the numbers

It's that time of year where everyone is back 'on it' and the posts on FB come thick and fast about how many miles people are putting in each week.   I'm cautious about posting exactly what I've done each session in such a public way, as I know how these posts sometimes affect me mentally, especially when I see other people churning out twice as many miles a week as I'm doing.  If people chose to read my blog or follow me on Strava, that's a slightly different thing.  In my book anyways.

Don't get me wrong, I love to see people committing to training needed for the challenges they have entered later in the year, and I'm not averse to trying to self motivating by 'checking in' when I'm at the gym.  It's important to remember though that you can, and should, do your plan, what's right for you, at whatever stage you are at.....and that you don't have to be knocking out 100 mile weeks to successfully complete even some of the most challenging ultra's (such as the West Highland Way).  I'm not an expert by any means....but I've had the pleasure of crossing that finish line on a couple of occasions (and hopefully will again in the years to come).

Anyway, that's my musing for this week.

So what have I been up to?

Last weekend I ran the Forfar Multi-terrain Half Marathon for the first time (despite having entered this race on at least 2 prior occasions but never making the start line).  Apprehensive due to a long time lack of running a half-marathon 'race' (the illuminator last year wasn't really the same), combined with a shocker of a forecast, and a wee hint of a sore throat during the week and it's fair to say I wasn't uber motivated on the day.

Photo by Helen Munro

However, with the luxury of a lift with John and Helen, and the promise of post-race cakes and soup, and a relatively civilised 11am start time, there was little room for excuses. 

The weather in the end turned out to be better in Forfar than the central belt, and the course delivered on expectations.  Leg sapping muddy paths, knee deep bogs and puddles, one big climb and all interspersed with tarmac stretches and head winds.  The sleet saved itself really until my final couple of miles, and I think I made the right shoe choice with my Salomon S-Lab Ultra's (even if they are ridiculously white at the back....or were until their first run....).

I finished in 2 hours and 9 minutes, which was better than forecast and I didn't feel like I had stinted on effort, so a good tempo run to kick off the year.

Photo by Alan Cormack's pal!

A good crowd for soup (of which there were many!) and scoff afterwards...and the obligatory post-race photo!

And so that ended a week of :
Running = 25.5 miles (2k ft of ascent)
Versaclimber = 3k ft
Pilates = 2 sessions
Strength & Conditioning = 2 times
Hike = 5 miles

This week I had low expectations....it's one of the busiest weeks at work with the annual post-Christmas insight review taking place (that's what I do...) and usually training falls apart.  I had the Glee run at Glencoe to look forward to on Saturday, and actually managed to get 3 mid-week early morning runs in.

I didn't make it to Glee - after two scary fishtail slides across the road just before Crianlarich, I turned back, and ended up in the Narnia woods at Killin/top of Glen Ogle instead.



While it didn't tick the boxes on the sociability scale at all, the snow was beautiful, the scenery mesmerising, and I got the miles done (and there was me saying it's not just about hitting a number....).  With the company of the WHW podcasts, the time passed pretty quickly (in my head at least!)

Photo by Clark Hamilton

Today I got my first real bout of challenging back-to-back weekend runs (which I do secretly love!), with a run from the house up to Sheriffmuir and back.  Blue skies and white snow made for perfect views, even if the conditions underfoot needed kahtoolas (don't be fooled by the tarmac in the first photo!)



Photo by Clark Hamilton

Tired now, and have made time for a wee granny nap this afternoon...

End of a pretty good week with:
Running = 43 miles (4.5k ft)
Pilates = 1 session

And after some updates this week from some less fortunate than those of us who are able to get out and do this stuff, I'm certainly not going to be moaning.

Here's one example David Andrew Smith.  Someone I've never met, but have huge respect for his achievements and ability to over-come challenging life events.